headed to namibia. will fly thru joberg. sunday is a rest day before being picked up by ph. schedule will permit spending "rest day" in either windhoek or joberg. if curio and souv shopping is the main objective is it better to spend sunday in joberg or windhoek?
someone suggested that the street vendors along independence ave in windhoek were active 7 days a week but i have never had a sunday to kill in either city. i assume most retail shops are closed in both places. where should we "rest"?

Under any circumstances, I would "rest" easier in Windhoek than Johannesburg.

We didn't take a "rest" day in Windhoek as we arrived in the early morning and were driven to our hunting location three hours away on the same day. However, the day was Sunday and we stopped at a couple of shops before we departed Windhoek which were open. One had both curios/souvenirs and breakfast.

Other than in the airport, I have not done any shopping in J'burg. I have done a fair amount of shopping in Windhoek though. In fact of all the places my wife and I stopped between Windhoek and Victoria Falls and back, the deals we got from the street vendors along Independence Ave and in the open mall area were probably the best. Especailly if you bundle items. Honestly I can't recall if I have ever been there on a Sunday but I would imagine the steet vendors would be there even if some of the shops are closed.

Windhoek has a nice crafts center downtown as well as an open air market with a lot of carvings. I got a nice wall carving of the Big 5. It seemed very safe with a nice police presence, at least during the day. Good luck.

In Jo'burg it is called affirmative shopping. You are the purveyor of goods and the other bugger is the purchaser of your goods, using either a knife or "borrowed 9mm" as a credit card?

Just returned from Windhoek after a safari. Spent Saturday night at the Windhoek Hilton and when we left on Sunday at noon the street vendors were out (basically a one minute walk from the Hilton).

Windhoek is ten times better than J-Burg. Most of the native curios can be found in a three block area. The people are much friendlier and you don't have to worry about being mobbed or stabbed in the back. You can have a nice kudu steak lunch at Cafe Zoo in Zoo Park and then make reservations for dinner at Joe's Beer House.

+1

X2 on "Joe's Beer House"

I was able to spend a day in Windhoek after a hunt a few years ago. It must have been on a week day, because I remember seeing kids getting out of school. The downtown is pretty small, easily walkable, and there were several shops and open-air vendors around. I really enjoyed it. I've spent a lot of time touring and living in capitol cities of third-world countries and I would have to say Windhoek was far and away the nicest I've been to.

I also vote for Windhoek.My family have shopped the street venders in town and they were much less aggressive than anywhere else we have attempted to purchase curios.

X3 on Joe's.

x4 on Joe's.

Here ya go...
www.joesbeerhouse.com/

Been to Windhoek four times and transited JNB a couple of times. Just got back from Windhoek this past Tues.

I love Windhoek. Several very good shopping malls, street venders and souvenir shops and as previously mentioned an "Arts & Crafts" center for locally made stuff. Lots of the street vendor wood carvings, I am told, come in from outside Namibia.

If you are limited to Sunday shopping only, be advised that the stores close by early to mid afternoon if they open at all.

If you have a rental car and park either on the street or in parking lots, you will see guys standing around in orange or yellow vests of some type. They are providing security for the area and it is sanctioned by the government. It is customary to to tip them a couple of N$ per hour of parking.

We rent a car and spend a week sightseeing Windhoek and the coast every year before hunting.

Safe, clean and do Joe's Beerhouse.

I bought some small carvings from the street vendors in Windhoek, but wish I had bought more of the fabric art. Very nice stuff at good prices.

Any decent shopping in Harare? I won't have any spare time in Joberg either way, but will have at least a half of a day in Harare. Thanks.